Cowser "feeling back to normal" after joining close friends in Orioles clubhouse

NEW YORK – Colton Cowser’s name was scratched from Triple-A Norfolk’s lineup last night in Durham about an hour before first pitch, unleashing a wave of rumors and jokes.

Was he joining the Orioles in New York?

Was he just slacking?

Teammates had some fun with it.

“They were giving me a hard time a little bit, saying I just wanted another day off,” Cowser said. “But I wasn’t really thinking about it too much.”

Everyone found out later why Cowser didn’t play. His work ethic hadn’t changed.

Just his team.

The Orioles selected Cowser’s contract and wrote his name into tonight’s lineup, handing him left field and the seventh spot in the order.

Tides manager Buck Britton told Cowser that he didn’t know what would happen. The news came after the final out.

“Kind of just sat there the whole game, kind of pondering it,” Cowser said. “When I walked in there, he was just smiling from cheek to cheek, so I was just like, OK, I kind of got what’s going on.”

Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias dropped some strong hints over the weekend about the team’s plans for Cowser during a MASN interview. Nothing left to prove, just waiting for the phone call.

Cowser heard about it but didn’t make assumptions. Don’t obsess over what’s out of his control.

“Ultimately, it’s not really up to me,” Cowser said. “He says I’m ready and the org thinks I’m ready, then I’ll be ready to go. And ultimately, it seems like that was the decision that was made.”

Cowser walked into the visiting clubhouse at Yankee Stadium this afternoon and was reunited with friends Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg. Back in his element. Playing on the road but feeling at home.

“It’s awesome, especially to see some familiar faces right when you get here,” he said. “It makes you put your mind at ease a little bit, like, ‘OK, it’s the same game I’ve been playing with these guys already.’ It’s awesome. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Cowser already traded barbs with Westburg, the typical sparring that goes on between them. Opposite personalities who mesh.

“Feeling back to normal,” Cowser said, smiling.

Henderson shared the excitement of Cowser’s arrival.

“He’s been one of my really close friends for a while now and it’s going to be really fun to have him here and kind of joke around and see him get out there,” Henderson said.

“Definitely his personality is going to help a lot because you need a light-hearted guy all the time and just keep the mood light, especially in the back half of the season. He’s going to go out there and be himself. He’s going to provide a lot of offense and that will help us right now. So, that will be really cool.”

Manager Brandon Hyde only got small glimpses of Cowser’s sense of humor in spring training. A personality that Henderson describes as "very light-hearted and goofy all the time" is more muted around certain people.

“He kind of hides it from me,” Hyde said. “I’m sure I’ll see it going forward. But easy to talk to, really mature kid, seems like he’s fun to be around. … The kind of guy you notice around the batting cage is talking and talking with people, and we could use a little bit of that, too. We could use a little energy. So, hopefully he helps.”

The Orioles are plopping another prospect in the middle of a pennant race, in front of a hostile crowd, but about 20 family members and friends will be here to support him – a group that includes mother Anna, father Dale, brother Ty, and sister-in-law Raegan.

His cousin, Emily Tanner, also will attend the game, and she’s the reason why he visited New York in the past. She danced with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.

Cowser also played in Cooperstown at age 12 and made a trip into the city to attend a Yankees game. Eleven years later, he’s in the majors with the club that drafted him in the first round in 2021.

The rise was rapid from minor league prospect to starting outfielder with the Orioles. He began last season at High-A Aberdeen, played for three affiliates and came to New York today after 56 games with Norfolk.

“I think that I got into the org at a good time, whenever I felt like they were valuing all of their draft picks,” he said. “Just felt like I had to go out there and play my game and let the org decide.”

The Orioles waited through Cowser’s quadriceps injury and the at-bats needed before elevating the No. 14 prospect in baseball.

“We had to get him healthy, and just playing well down there,” Hyde said. “We’re not scoring a ton of runs here these last couple weeks, so hopefully he can give us a little spark offensively.”

Five of the nine players in tonight’s lineup are homegrown, and Anthony Santander was a Rule 5 pick out of A ball who really developed with the Orioles. Cowser, Rutschman, Henderson and Westburg were selected by the current front office.

“Kind of all game up together, know each other well,” Hyde said. “Exciting time for this team, exciting time for this organization and fans to watch guys that Mike and his group have drafted and drafted high and have high expectations for. Hopefully, Colton can come in here and fit in and play well.”

Austin Hays, who also came up through the Orioles’ system, could be available off the bench tonight. His left hip is improving.

“Hopefully, he’s out only a day or two,” Hyde said. “He’s getting better every day.

The Orioles optioned Ryan McKenna today to make room on the 26-man roster, a hard conversation for Hyde.

“Very,” he said. “Mac’s extremely well liked, coaching staff and the players here. You talk about energy and the vibe of the team, he is an enormous part of that. And just always being ready, the loudest guy in the dugout. Just always super prepared.

“The positive thing about this for him is he’s going to go down there and get everyday at-bats, which I think he needs. Hopefully, he’ll be back up here at some point this year and have a lot of playing time under his belt.”

For the Yankees
Anthony Rizzo 1B
Gleyber Torres DH
Giancarlo Stanton RF
Jake Bauers LF
Josh Donaldson 3B
DJ LeMahieu 2B
Isiah Kiner-Falefa CF
Anthony Volpe SS
Kyle Higashioka C

Randy Vásquez RHP